Universal joint



Sefit. 19,1944. A. F. GREINER UNIVERSAL JOINT Original Filed Feb. 3, 1941' INVENTOR. ANTON EGREINER Y I ATTORNEYS .UNITED?'{LSTATES OFFICE p 1 "2358,5655 s v a a r a "Antoni F. Greiner, DtroitgMich. I. M Original pp aaanremma, 19.41, Serial No.

a 377,259, now Patent No. 2,328,139, dated August v 31, 1943..v Di'vided'jand this'apDlication .nuy 6,

'1 :1942; s rial'naue asv a ,7

'G-CIaims. mol -clan.)

This invention "relates generally] to "torque transmitting mechanism: and" refers more par.- ttieularly to improvements in torque v transmit; ting. universal joints. 1 The present invention. Eis adivision offmy eopending application; Serial No. 377,259,f filed February 3, 194i, now Patent No 2,32a, 39,,i ue August 31,1943. 7 Onetype :of universal joint which has achieved eonsiderable recognition in the',-trade;f or transmitting torque betweenrelativelyangularly mov able" driving and driverr mer r i bers. comprises a yoke having twopairs ofjournals The journals of one lpair extend radially outwarclly from idiametrically opposite; sides of, the "yoke and are respectively connected to the driving member through the medium of: bearings. The other pair of journals extends radially outwardly from diametrically opposite sides of the yoke between the journals of the flrstppair andare respectively connected to the driven mariner through the medium of bearings carried by the latter. Thebearings usually include needle roller bearings located between the joumal's and adjacent surfaces'fof the bearings.

,Inj tuniversaljoints ofthe above ty e'botntne bearings andthe journals are rigidly fixed with respect to each'other; As a"result,j the angle ofdefle'ction' of the journals has 'apositive value under torque load, and the angle of defiection of the bearings is, of course,'zero under all torque conditions. This difference between theangle of deflectionof the'journals and the angle of deflection offthe' bearings un'der torque load subjects the'jnee'dle bearings to adverse forcemoments which tBIldStO change the normal line contact of the rollers-with the journals to-apoint contacti Accordingly, the needle bearing rollers dig into the hardenedjournals and produce indentations' in thelatter of such depth as to cause failure of the jonit; As" a matter of fact, many automobile accidents can be traced to failure of the universal jointsand; therefore, it is important to eliminate'the cau'ses of suchfailures Itis one of the principal objectsof this inventionto overcome the above objections =by providing a. torque transmitting device constructed in such a' manner that torsional" stresses and other adverse force A moments are reduced to a minimum. According to *thisinventioh; the above-is accomplished by providing a bearing 'and journal capable of relative movement under torque load indirections .to permit one to follow the-movements'and deflections of the other regardless of the nature of the load conditions;

-'-Anotherobjectof this dn'ventionis-to provide a torque transmitting: universal joint of the-gene'ral'itype set forth abovejwherein the angle of deflection of the journals equals the angle of de fiection of the "bearings for the journals, irrespective of the nature of the torque'loa'd. As a result;'a'line contact of the needle bearing rollers with the journals is insured under all torque conditions, and the damaging indentations in thejournals, previously referred to, are elimii hated I v A further feature of this inventionis to provide a torque transmitting device composed of a relatively few simple parts capable .of being readily assembled and connected to the driving and driven members.

The: f ore going, as well other objectsfwillbe lmademore apparent as; this description proceeds-,-fespecially when goonsidered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein: V

I], Figure 1 is a' side elevational view partly section of. a, torquev transmitting device constructed in'aecordance'with thisiinvention; Figure 21s a cross sectional view taken sub stantially on the plane indicated'by the line {+2 p figure s is a sideelevational view of a slightly 4440 F u e 3.-

y I Although a numberpf the principles of the present invention may be advantageously used in connection with variousfdifierent types of torque, transmitting devices, nevertheless, the

irivhtiohds: particularly applicable to torque transmitting. universal joints and, accordingly, I haveselected'this embodiment of the invention tor the, purpose of illustration;

aIn Figures'l' andj2 of the drawing, I have shown 'a tubular drive shaft l0 and a' tubular driven shaft l l operatively connected'by'means of a 'universaljoint' l2 constructed to effectively transfer torque fromthe driving shaft m to the driven jshaft' H regardlessof the angular posi- 'tions offthese shafts ,with'respect to each other. In detail it will be noted that the universal joint I 2 isprovided with a yoke l3 having two pairs of journals'illan'd {5' respectively. The journals ll "extend'radially outwardly T from diametrically oppositesides of the body portion of the yoke and have 'a-co'mmon axis perpendicular to the axis or rotation of the yoke. The journals l5 extendv radially outwardly 'from di'ametricallyopposite -sidesf f tl'le"body portion of the yoke between the journals I l and have -acommon axisfper- 'pendicular to the axisofthe journals l4";

In the present instance, the journals M on the yoke are operatively connected to the driving shaft and the journals l are similarly connected to openings [1 therethrough for respectively receiving the journals i4 and 15. Each opening l'lris surrounded by a radially outwardly extending flange l8 formed integral ,with the, respective stampings I6 and terminatin at the radially outer end in a laterally outwardlyextending a nular flange IS. The flanges l9 cooperate P the respective stampings Hi to form annular" grooves concentric with the axes of the respective openings [1. means of acap in, the form of a sheet metal st mpm ha e ma n l ed es crimned awe e ec ive fian esf i a d ex -94 .1 iri q be'as nn ar groov s- The ;journals, on the yolfl'e'v l 3 respec tiyely e ginto the openingsll in the s'tampings iii and are operatively connected to the reSP Q iW St m i r iiy r al disi a e n f"l efi il thereto by means .of bearings 2!. The bearings 2| are respectively bored to'receive the journal and the internal diameter of the bores exceeds the s e zn di t ef h i ureal by an am u t sefl to n l th L se PiQ-n o edleb arr il 22 bgtween h ad a e ts r ac s P 9 journals and bores. 'The needle bearings 2 2 are maintained in the respective bores of the pear .ings by. means of a retainer ring :3; ured in the respective bores atthe radially'inner ends of the needle bearings. "A suitable.lfibricatntjpzitilging}! i a s ec l heated in th al ilmer en ed the bearings between, the retaining rin 2'3 and suitable shoulders 25 respectively formed ee-t eieu si a o c w th h s ve n the beer,- ing's 2 l are mounted on the respective stampin gs 16in a manner which enables suiiicient nr'estrained universal movementot the bearings dur ing transmission of torque to maintain thelaxis of the bore in each bearing-coincident with the of theassociated journal regardless @of :deii'ection of the journal. under torque loads. In

pther words, the bearings 21 are rr e'ito ren the es t ei umel a d ess 9i a l isl flectionof the j ournalsunder torqueload and this is ladvantageous because it i sures ma n the axes of the needle axis of the'associated amu ng;- ,mission. It follows," therefore, thatcqcking of t en ng and t r se i e br ee lme offthejournalslis prevented.

The foregoing i accomplished herein by form;

ring each bearing 21 with a spherically shaped err,- i i Surface "a y-emiii e R IWS WWJY shaped surfaces on the; respective ,stampings fgir en eme w th Y th ease IE de l a r tainer sleeve 2] preferably of sheet metal is me s d 9? he wis estee will? $11 992??? leg ll.- h .r s iell i n z e sl 9 ti (es are respectively sphericalexterior surfaces 35 o n the bearing aw re be ri g ep aa i plwi t iiee are su aceshe rediallr-q e are e t sie ve a eres eetiv lvi r a th ater ll new? xt din flee ewyh eete e n efl ese I9 d ar flanne es iet the la e a tie;

Each opening I1 is c'losedby bearings paral el to the caps 20. As shown in both Figures 1 and 2, the caps 20 are shaped to provide spherical surfaces for engagement with the radially outer portions of the bearings 2 I. It follows from the above that 5 the bearings 2| are universally adjusted relative to their respective stampings l6 and, at the same time, cooperate with the journals to transmit tgrqueirom one stamping to the; other. The embodiment of.theirivehtidn' shown in Figures 3 and 4 differ from the above modification in the manner in which the bearings are mounted to enable the desired universal movement thereof. Referring more in detail to Figure Y 1 the reference character 3| indicates a drive shaft and the reference character 32 indicates a two shafts are operatively t'ogether'by a universal joint designated y by he reference character 33 and coma yoke which is identical to the yok l3 previously described in connection with the first bgs nie t 9 th s ,i Q lt Qn- In the Pr nti gi e th anima s M a oke ree nected'to the "driveishaft '3] by means are con- 3 r. t .Y

- 1P w e l's??? ihe t siia iees li v 25 d etri y' pposed radially xtendinge'ars Th ie ireal t e refi -"e 'iesp e i' a nected to the river; shaft 5'12 means of ahead I l eei ve eenneei s ":fact; the'inteinal si ma-er of the 49 v I Q.

A W up M ELL r.- of the"jou'rnal and bearing grterrji al st r ie -e the ear e hea s s' e r h r 1 5-; r); W! e ea -1t te sireqiip shore-2 1 also ena es he 1 ediuei i si es? s ,t .eutqme icelly It el fi means cr'i rans it ine Jemuafromnne mam: she; tothezqth ncluglingti h arin :DQSitiOBfii in th reop nin i thease ond m m er? and havin a vbore Lreceiyn xsaid journa .jsaid hea in hav n ta s herically; shaned e terna su f e. a etaine ha in a: s eev secured l9 imisaiq cr ams .andrhavinsa phericallyshap inner end portion engaging the spherically shaped surface of the bearing adjacent the inner end of the bore in the latter, and a cap for the opening in the second member operable to secure the sleeve to said second member and having a spherical portion engaging the adjacent spherical surface of the bearing in a. manner to coact with the sleeve in permitting universal adjustment of the bearing during the transmission of torque from one member to the other.

2. In a torque transmitting device, a rotatable member having a tubular end portion, a cupshaped member having the closed end portion sleeved into the tubular portion of the rotatable member and secured thereto, a torque transmitting element having a journal extending radially through an opening in one side wall of the cup-shaped member, a bearing located in the opening formed in the side wall of the cupshaped member and having a bore for receiving said journal, said bearing having a spherically shaped outer surface portion, and a retainer sleeved in the opening in the cup-shaped member and having a spherically shaped portion engaging the spherically shaped portion of the bearing to support the latter on the cup-shaped member for rocking movement.

3. In a torque transmitting device, a rotatable member having a tubular portion provided with an opening through one side Wall thereof, a bearing having a spherically shaped exterior surface portion and having a radially inwardly opening bore, a torque transmitting element having a journal extending into the bore, and a retainer sleeved in the opening in the rotatable member and having a spherically shaped portion engaging the spherically shaped surface of the bearing to support the latter on the rotatable member for rocking movement relative thereto.

4. In a torque transmitting device, a rotatable member having a tubular portion provided with an opening therethrough, a bearing positioned in the opening and having a spherically shaped outer surface, a torque transmitting element having a journal extending into a radially inwardly opening bore in the bearing, a retainer sleeve secured in said opening and having a.

spherically shaped portion engaging the spherically shaped surface of the bearing, anda cap for securing the retainer sleeve to the rotatable member and having a spherically shaped portion also engaging the spherically shaped surface of the bearing and cooperating with the retainer sleeve to permit rocking movement of the bearing relative to the rotatable member in response to deflection of the journal under torque loads.

5. In a self aligning universal joint of the four trunnion type, a bearing assembly comprising a member having an opening, a trunnion projecting into the opening, a ball element in the opening and having a diametrically extending bore receiving the trunnion, an adapter in the opening around the ball and having a cylindrical inner surface and an end wall engaging the ball and means holding the adapter in the opening.

6. In a torque transmitting device, the combination of a bifurcated member having aligned openings in the furcations thereof, a cross member engageable between said furcations and having radially outwardly extending journals projecting into said openings and bearings for said journals engageable therewith from outside said furcations, each comprising a spherical member having a cylindrical recess for engaging the journal, a retainer for said spherical member provided with a segmental spherical bearing therefor on the inner side of the center of the sphere, said retainer external fitting said opening and a cap member forming an outer bearing for said spherical member, said cap member having'an interlocking engagement with thefurcation to retain the bearing from outward displacement.

ANTON F. GREINER. 

